The Vlaanburg Electorates
Government
Vlaanburg is a confederation of semi-independent states, with political power dominated by a vampyric elite. At the pinnacle sits the Archon, who acts as head-of-state. Succession is not hereditary, although the Archon’s heir is an obvious candidate. Instead, new Archons are chosen by Electors - lords with the right to elect successive rulers. The Archon’s power is far from absolute. Each province is governed by its own lord. The Archon is “first among equals,” in the sense that he acts as the head of the Electors, who are powerful in their own right.
The Archon does not control the entire military of the Electorates, although may act as commander-in-chief of coordinated military efforts between states. His taxes and resources are collected from his own province and the military units under his direct control are paid via his own own personal treasury. Likewise, each of the Electors and provincial lords collect and spend taxes from his respective province. They recruit and pay their own provincial armies; in some cases, a wealthy Elector may be able to recruit and maintain a larger army than the Archon himself.
The Archon and his Electors are vampires. They are the descendants of a powerful strain of Primordials that lived on the continent in the Era of Legends. Many are hundred of years old. The exact nature of their race is unbeknownst to the general population, but it is common knowledge that they are very old, outliving generations of human dynasties. Most chalk this up to their Primordial blood and question them no further. Besides their longevity, they live and reign no differently than human lords.
Beneath the Electors are provincial rulers, who may be dukes, counts, barons or governors of smaller regions within the Electorates. They appoint the governors of cities, although there are many free cities run by elected councils. Some regions have weaker aristocratic backgrounds, where democratic practices and guild-rule are the norm. Others are patricianships, in which ruling families are more historically ingrained to the region. Local administrations may or may not be vampires themselves.
Geography
Detailed map forthcoming.
Culture
Vampires are a powerful race, sired by Primordials in the Era of Legends. Today, they are very rare, and have consolidated their numbers around the Electorates, making up the highest echelons of government, although not all vampires are political leaders. They are indistinguishable from normal humans at a glance; the only tell-tale signs of vampirism are their fangs and lack of reflection. They are a far cry from the monsters of folklore and legends; they do not sulk through forests at night, nor are they undead spirits from the grave. Vampires are a race in their own right, and are considered immortal. The only thing that can truly kill a vampire is another of their kind; an act that is forbidden among the Electorates under all but the most extreme circumstances. It’s true that vampires have an affinity for blood, but it isn’t necessary to sustain them - it has an effect comparable to alcohol. Many vampires choose not to drink at all, to better coexist with their human subjects. It is not forbidden to feed on humans, but it is to kill them. Those that succumb to their bloodlust and leave corpses in their wake are ostracized and hunted down, if their sprees are heinous enough.
Vampires are endowed with extreme strength and supernatural abilities. They can turn invisible for periods of time, and transform into a ‘bestial’ state, in which they become terrifying, bat-like monsters with razor sharp claws and powerful jaws. In bouts of emotion a glimpse of these forms may come to light - bestial visages and long talons. They can paralyze enemies with a gaze and are immune to fire and sunlight. They have regenerative abilities, allowing them to heal wounds, even lost limbs. The period of time depends on the severity of the damage. Beheadings can take decades or longer to regenerate; longer still if the body has been mutilated, burned and scattered into the winds.
The mortal population of the Electorates is well aware of their lords’ supernatural lifespans, as generations pass without a change in Archons or Electors. But the true extent of their being is known to few. As far as the average villager is concerned, they owe their titles to their Primordial heritage and that’s good enough. Even vampires that live normal lives outside of politics are rarely suspect, unless a farmer finds his sheep bled dry in the morning. Vampires, however, are obliged to follow a number of unwritten codes designed to facilitate coexistence with mortals and to maintain the existence of their race. These codes are enforced by a shadowy council of elder vampires that oversee happenings within and without the provinces. Their existence is virtually unknown outside of the Electorates, and the Archon only consults them when absolutely necessary.
The human population of the Electorates is united in language and in faith, but can be expected to display more loyalty to their own provinces than the Electorates as a whole. When it comes to their home states, they are fiercely patriotic and proud of their respective histories. Still, they differ by social standing and geographic location, with city dwellers and rural communes having different outlooks on life, traditions and dialects. Local governments differ from province to province, and even within from urban centers to forest villages. One thing that they all share is stubbornness and dependability. Beyond arms and tactics, their rugged determination and refusal to yield earned them their independence from much larger neighboring kingdoms.
Military
The Electorate military is structured around a core of infantry, pioneering a fighting style analogous to the real-world Swiss pikemen. Its armies are organized into vanguard, center and rearguard formations. These columns emphasize tactics meant to outmaneuver the enemy, before overcoming them in close combat. Electorate pikemen have gained worldwide renown for their ferocity, their refusal to take prisoners, and the stubbornness with which they hold their ground. Although referred to ubiquitously as ‘pikemen,’ Electorate formations include halberdiers and skirmishers armed with crossbows.
A major factor of the Electorates’ military effectiveness is its ability to draw up large numbers at a given time. This is achieved by a three-tiered system of conscription - a corps of capable men aged eighteen to thirty, a category of older men ready and able to serve away from home if need arose, and a mass levée raised only in dire emergencies. The exact number of conscripts raised per locale is decided upon by local authorities.
Unique among the Electorate military is the nomination of officers - contingents are led by elected individuals, chosen at muster by the administration of that contingent’s community. War councils are often conducted democratically, with officers from separate contingents present to coordinate tactics and maneuvers. For this reason, few supreme military commanders are found in Vlaanburg’s history, but its victories are testament to the system’s success.
Soldiers are obliged to purchase their own arms and armor, although local communities are responsible for repairing damaged equipment. In some exceptional cases (outlying villages, cities, guilds) provincial administrations must finance their own corps. Each soldier is expected to carry a week’s worth of rations with him to muster.
The average infantryman dons a blackened, munitions-grade plate on his breast over a quilted gambeson. He wears a kettle helm or sallet and additional protection if he can afford it, such as a gorget to protect his throat and tassets over his thighs. The principal weapon is a pike with a tapered head about 4.5 meters long, while some soldiers carry halberds. Both weapons are paired with an arming sword. Crossbowmen are armored much the same way, with slightly less protection than their frontline counterparts. They carry pavise shields on their backs, with which they can hide behind and operate their crossbows safely.
Heroes
Each country gets one superior hero and three normal heroes. In terms of combat strength expect a superior hero to be on par with about 150 men and normal heroes to be on par with 100 men. (Yes, this is the only place in the sheet where there are actually numbers) Basically these are the badasses of your country that you can use for point of view characters if you want. At absolute bare minimum you need a name and one line description of what your hero is good at; however, ideally this should be the largest section of your sheet. You can use any explanation you want for why your heroes are stronger than normal people. For example using magic, being blessed by a god, or simply being very skilled with their weapons. Also keep in mind that if a hero dies you can replace him or her with a new one.
History
The Electorate has its origins as an alliance between valley communities to facilitate common interests and maintain peace throughout important mountain trade routes. It grew in territory as more small states joined its ranks out of concern of encroaching neighboring powers. These states were technically part of the _ Empire, although had special status that placed them under the Emperor’s direct authority, without the need of an intermediate lord. As a result, these states enjoyed a large degree of autonomy, and as the Imperial power waned, they were by and large independent political entities.
The Republic was formally established via charter in Era of Heroes 272 by the four founding states of _, _, _, and _. By 357, the Republic was joined by three more states, increasing its number to seven. With the expansion of the Republic’s territories, it gained considerable wealth and influence. On more than one occasion, neighboring Imperial duchies have come into conflict with the Electorate states, but strings of victories against insurmountable odds have kept them independent.
Relations
How does your country interact with its neighbors. I am
not looking for a list of exports and imports, but feel free to add them if you want. At bare minimum I want a listed rival here, another country that yours viewed as an enemy and actively worked against during the past twenty or so years.
Characters
Optional section. Put any info about any characters here. Examples of this would be your kings or queens, military leaders, and non-hero “badasses”. You can also put more detailed info of your heroes here as well.
